Internally displaced people from Ghouta between 14 March and 31 May 2018

Five Ways to Help

#BesiegedDreams is a campaign to support the students of Ghouta in our struggle for the education we dream of. The five-year siege of Ghouta interrupted our education, schools were moved underground and eventually disappeared. We were banned from going out to universities, and books were rarely smuggled through siege to us. Days were punctuated with airstrikes and years marked by chemical attacks until we were forcibly displaced in April, 2018. Now we’re dusting ourselves off, knowing that we missed so much already. We want to get back to learning and on the way to our dreams. If you want to act in solidarity with us, here’s five things you can do:

Ask for our seat in your classroom. Your university or college can provide scholarships. Please pay a visit to your university’s administrative board/admission committee, refer to the [Recommendations sheet], and here’s a [Visit guide] to help you ito address the most important issues; and attach this [report] if more detailed information is needed. Hold public sessions in your university to get more people to see the problem and lend their support. Be sure to send us pictures of the event, we would love to share it and show your support.

Act to provide the pathways. One of the biggest challenges we face is the lack of access to the exams needed to apply to universities. We know people power can make the difference, please sign this petition asking for exam centers to be created inside of Syria in the northern countryside of Aleppo. [Sign]

Volunteer with us. Volunteer with whatever time, knowledge, and skills you have to take action and help lift some of the difficulties the students face. Prepare them (online) for pre-college (SAT, ACT, YOS…) and Language proficiency exams (IELTS, TOEFL, TOMER…), teach your language, help improve their writing, or proofread their essays [Volunteer form].

Tell us about opportunities. Inside besieged Ghouta, reaching internet and even sometimes electricity was considered a luxury, and in our new-settling we’re still catching up. Tell us about a scholarship program that is eligible for Syrian students. Send information by [Email]. We will spread the word among Syrian students.

Spread the word. Help us tell the stories of the Besieged Dreams of the Students of Ghouta. Write about these students to your local and national newspapers. Ask any media outlet you have connections with to cover the inspiring stories of Ghouta’ students. [Email] us to put you in touch with one of the students who could speak to the media. Get engaged on social media; let your friends and followers know that you care about the dreams of Ghouta’ students. Join the Twitter campaign to pressure policymakers around the world to help end the academic siege by using the hashtag #BesigedDreams.

About

Ghouta.com is an information website about East Ghouta. The website provides insights into the daily life in besieged East Ghouta written by activists living in Ghouta. In addition, the website collects articles, reports and statistics published by other websites.

Contact us

Do you want to volunteer with us, share solidarity messages, pictures or ideas? Send us an email to info@ghouta.com